Re: Jazz/Piston | Classic Concert/Rotary ?


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Posted by Eric on November 23, 2003 at 12:19:40:

In Reply to: Jazz/Piston | Classic Concert/Rotary ? posted by Curious on November 22, 2003 at 15:43:28:

I think the difference is that with the short stroke and abrupt transition between notes on a rotary horn you have to be a lot more precise coordinating your fingers or it sounds sloppy. Pistons are much more forgiving in that respect. Also it seems to me that piston horns have a much wider range of tone color i.e. they get brighter than rotary horns and thats important for jazz accents to pop out. I have an 1870 Boston rotary cornet that I use sometimes instead of flugel and it pops between notes like a clarinet, but wow does it take a lot of practice to get coordinated. Its a lot faster than I am.

My 1850's EG Wright Eb tuba has string action rotary valves that seem faster than modern ones with their huge buttons and linkages, and it's great for jazz, but normally if I have to take a solo Im on a piston BBb tuba or sousaphone. But no matter how slow the BBb tuba is, I'm always glad to not be soloing on a bass trombone!




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